Dead To The World
by Cedric Thanatos
Summary: Post Marauders Graduation. A girl from France with a tragic history catches Severus's interest. While Severus works on publishing his first potions book and settling into a life postHogwarts how will he balance his attraction to the mysterious girl? SSOC
1. June 1977

**Dead to the World**

**By Cedric Thanatos**

Pre-Warning: I am blunt and unapologetic about warnings.

Warning: This is an American English fan fiction.

This is an Outside Character (OC) this is not however me putting myself in the fanfiction and making myself the lover of my favorite character. That is called a 'Mary Sue'. I'm sorry if you feel differently.

This will follow through Half Blood Prince and if you haven't read the books and are turned off by spoilers then I suggest you come to terms with this condition or don't read this fan fiction. This story disregards several plot points in Deathly Hallows.

This is a fan fiction and the entire domain of the Harry Potter world belongs to J.K. Rowling. This being said now will not be reposted.

**June 1977 - France**

The air was thick with salt; Kitoku Thamis choked back her tears. Her Father Nasius was selling the house. A magical house by all standards and not easy to sell as any other wizard might think. Kitoku watched the water, restraint seeping away from her with each breath and each wave. Her dark hair was down and it whipped at her face in jerks of brunette curls. Fat tears of pain and sorrow struck her cheeks in a violent flood. Her body begged to lie down as she kneeled down on her knees gripping her stomach tightly. The blue school robes of Bauxbaton getting ground into the dirt and grime of the hard French shore. Sorrow enveloped the young witch as she realized again she would never see her house again because her father was dying. His illness had been sudden to her. In his unwillingness to share his sickness with his daughter he had hurt her in a way he had never intended. Nasius had not prepared his daughter for the transition in himself when he had been so sure he would beat the cancer inside him, but he had not expected things to turn as they had. So Nasius stayed quiet and had brought his young daughter home to her things and told her of his illness and his plan. They would both be moving in with his parents on the outskirts of London.

Marius and Corrina Thamis would welcome their only living granddaughter and raise her with as much love as they had. But now there was a train to catch and Nasius had yet to convince Kitoku that things would be all right and that he was going to be with her. He looked out at her crumpled form and knew he had the strength to carry her if she didn't resist him but he didn't know if he had the endurance. It was this time that Kitoku realized in a cold fury that she couldn't rely on someone to come get her when she fell and scraped her knee, or when she sat on the beach with such shattering news. Her blue eyes grew dull as she picked herself off the ground and turned to face her home. Her father stood at the window his hand cupping at the glass as if to hold her. She turned once more to the waters that were calm on this cloud filled day. She held her Bauxbaton cap and with as much strength as she could muster hurled it like a Fanged Frisbee out into the ocean. It didn't land very far out but it was enough and Kitoku walked away from the waters now sinking her school cap and went to join her father.

"I love you Father." She spoke to him the simple words of love while looking directly in his eyes.

"I know my lovely" He spoke softly bringing her into a warm and lovely embrace. They stayed that way for what felt like such a short time. "You must pack now, we have such a short time before our train." His voice brought Kitoku back and she gave a grave nod before entering her room and looking upon the room with the same sadness she had felt since she had received the news of her fathers illness, and her cheeks stayed wet for a while longer then she would have normally allowed. Kitoku methodically packed up the things she wanted and folded the blankets and sheets from her bed. She took the things that were her only possessions in the world and packed them in the trunks Nasius had given her. Kitoku's work was short and neat and they left the house in little under an hour.

Kitoku held her fathers hand the whole way to London for fear he might slip away. During there cross in the Chunnel Kitoku fell asleep but she still did not let go of her father's hand. When Nasius awoke her they were in London out the window of the muggle train Kitoku saw the vast amounts of people. And somehow knew this was where she was going to be coming back when she had to go back to school in September. Kitoku couldn't speak as they left the station. She and Nasius were led to a taxi by a French-speaking-Englishman who then had their possessions loaded on the vehicle in a short amount of time. Nasius tipped the young man with the only English money he had: two pounds. Kitoku understood most English but she would need help with the money. She so seldom visited muggle London she had almost no use for the knowledge of London currency. Her father on the other-hand knew so little English the two pounds was all he knew. The taxi ride was fast and smooth they were at Grand-Père's house sooner then Kitoku would have wanted.

"Run in and get some money for the driver. I do not know what he wants." Nasius was helping the man unload the trunks and bags from the taxi. Kitoku walked up to the door in no hurry but she also didn't want to delay the taxi driver. Grand-Père came out of the house and shooed off the taxi driver before Kitoku even reached the front door. Grand-Mère was standing in the doorway of the house watching her child and grandchild coming home at last. Kitoku was frozen. She had certainly seen her Grand-Mère and Grand-Père before but she always knew she would be leaving. This time her father would be leaving and never coming home. Kitoku felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to the face of her Grand-Père Marius Thamis his eyes were sad but he just gave her a look and then with his big hands wiped away the tears that were sneaking down her cheeks.

"Don't cry dear. You'll have a lovely summer here." Kitoku desperately wanted to agree with him but she knew no summer was going to be lovely knowing that her father was dying so cruelly and so soon after her mother and brother and sisters had been taken. For two years Kitoku and Nasius had gotten used to the quiet of one another without the crash and clatter of her sisters and the baking and simmering of pots and pans in the kitchen where her mother should be working. Kitoku was almost used to the stone quiet of the large house, but it was too soon.

Kitoku remembered the day so clearly it stung her eyes again to remember what had happened. If she hadn't been sick, she would be dead too. If Nasius hadn't stayed to care for her he would be dead. Her brother Donovan lived hidden in himself barely speaking, but he still drew animals for Kitoku, but never a duck, never the stuffed animal that had been soaked with their sisters blood two years ago. She couldn't help the tears that came and she couldn't stop them. She felt the presence of her father as he hugged her and wrapped her in his arms. She was lifted off the stone path to the house she would somehow have to learn to call home and weeping still was carried inside.

Donovan came a week later when his school released. Together they would sit with Nasius quietly, barely making a sound. Two silent children keeping watch over their dying father.


	2. July 1977

Dead to the World  
By Cedric Thanatos

Chapter One  
July 1977 - London

Severus Snape walked up and down Diagon and Knockturn alley seeking employment to fund his research and his potions lab. He just needed a job and some money. He was now on his own. His parents had little money to support him and he needed to be out--out and away from his parents who simply wanted him to work for the ministry. Severus didn't want to work for the ministry and couldn't think of a single reason why he should; except that he needed money. But Severus didn't want to work for the corrupt ministry any more than he wanted to re-meet Lily Evans. But there she was, shopping in the store at which he wanted to apply. Severus sulked away. Surely if Lily was around, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Reine Rose--the power couples of the Hogwarts graduating class of 1977--would be as well. Maybe even Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew would be with them, not that he minded running into either one of them as much. But still, when you saw _one_ of them and you didn't want to, surely enough the others would be flocking nearby, and for Severus it was best to avoid them all.

Severus sighed and kept walking. He needed a few ingredients for his new potion that he was going to try and work on. He needed more parchment, too, but he'd have to head back in the direction of where he'd seen Lily Evans, so he headed down to the apothecary instead. The door was dark and greasy in appearance, but Severus knew that it wasn't. This was simply one place the owner didn't want children running around in or seeing something shiny like children, even wizarding children, are apt to do. There wasn't much chance of children running around on their own now, but the door still was a deterrent. Then Severus saw a small sign. It was nearly impossible to read, but it simply stated, "Help Wanted." Severus entered and saw the stout, dirty man behind the counter, straightening the jars of various plants and animals that were currently in bits and pieces.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Yeah?"

"If you're still in need of someone to work here, I could help."

"What does some little rich kid like you want to work here for?"

"Sir, I'm Severus Snape and I am not rich and I recently moved out of my home. I am in need of employment and I could be of use to you and your store."

"Of use. Huh. Okay. You start now. Everything is labeled so you'll know what it is and how to sell it. The prices are clearly printed on a sticker on the bottom of each jar. Now, I need to get you an apron and you'll need to take off your robe. You work here in pants, shirt, and apron. Your friends don't visit my shop unless they're buying… You will work five days a week. You'll have off Monday and we're closed on Sundays. Your pay will come at the end of each week. You slack off and stop doing good work and you're out the door. Got all that?"

"Yes, sir."

"Don't call me 'sir.' My name's Vern and you'll call me Vern. All right, Severus, here's a broom. The floor needs sweeping. We may be a dark store, but I like to keep it clean. While you sweep try to learn where things are. They're arranged by sensitivity to light."

"Thanks, Vern."

"Get to work."

While Severus swept the apothecary, Kitoku and Donovan Thamis sat by their father's bed. His illness had greatly weakened him. Kitoku was having daily lessons with her Grand-Mère, learning English better than she had known before. Kitoku had sewn new skirts to wear at Beauxbatons because the ones from the previous year were becoming too short. She had some deep, full purple fabric and then some black and purple fabric in a diamond pattern. Now she was sewing the hems by hand instead of using the sewing machine. Even if she didn't have any friends at Beauxbatons, she would be there instead of here. Kitoku was hoping that her father would be better so that they could travel to Paris to get her school supplies before she returned to school. Kitoku liked her Grand-Mère and Grand-Père, but they didn't have the youth for Kitoku's grief or needs. Kitoku needed her father to get better, even as she knew that he wouldn't. Donovan was silently reading to himself, his pale lavender eyes moving with the text, his medium brown hair covering his face.

"Children."

"Yes, Grand-Mère?" Kitoku answered.

"Come to the living room please." Her voice was soft and gentle so as not to wake her ailing son.

Kitoku gathered up the skirt and thread she was working on, and took it all into the living room. It was filled with four couches, three wingback chairs, and two low tables. On one of the tables, she and Donovan had been permitted to spread out their summer homework, so long as they cleaned it up every night and whenever company was expected. Kitoku didn't use the table much. Instead, she let herself study in her father's room, where he spent most of his time now. Even when he was awake he would sit up in bed or in a chair by the window. Frequently he wanted the window opened, so he could breathe the air. It was a sad room to study in, but the _whole house_ made Kitoku sad. So, she sat obediently in the living room and continued to work on the skirt.

"Kitoku, we got a letter from Headmaster Dumbeldore."

"Headmaster _ValJean_, you mean."

"No, this is the headmaster of Hogwarts."

"But I attend Beauxbatons..." Kitoku stopped paying attention to her work and looked into her Grand-Mère's eyes.

"We know that Kitoku, but we thought that you might be able to go to Hogwarts instead. It is so much closer to us, and you would be able to come home for Christmas and summer of course."

"But, I don't know anything about Hogwarts. I don't know the teachers or the students. I would be alone." Kitoku tried to plead, but then again she would be alone at Beauxbatons, too… Ever since her sisters died people avoided her. Girls and boys who had once been friends were suddenly shy of her.

"We will leave the decision up to you, but your Grand-Père and I both think it would be for the best if you changed schools. Do you at least want to know what the letter said?"

"No. May I go sit with father now?"

"Yes."

"I'll think about it." Kitoku got up and left the room.

"Going to a new school could be good for you soeur. It helped me." Donovan said as they retreated back to Nasius's room.

"Would you come with me?" Kitoku pleaded with him.

"I… I can't. I have to finish at Ombre Bleue. They have the lessons, and teachers I need."

"Why can't I go there with you."

"Because, it's a small school they only take a few people each year, and you haven't applied."

"I don't want to lose you too." Kitoku went to hug her older brother but then stopped. He was looking away from her.

"I'll write to you every day. And you must write to me everyday, we will still be together in spirit my soeur."

"Alright." There were too many choices and options that she didn't need to think about. Too many questions she was supposed to know the answers to, and she didn't know. Kitoku put school out of her mind and finished the work on her skirts.

At the end of the workday, Severus was learning where everything was. He had swept and dusted the entire store. Vern looked pleased and handed Severus a small coin purse.

"You've done well today. This is this week's pay. It's in advance. You owe me another four days, then you can decide whether or not to quit. Until then, however, you're working for me. Come back tomorrow. For now I'll close up and get things ready for tomorrow."

"Thanks again."

"Don't thank me; just show up and do your work. I've had that sign on the door for a couple weeks now and you're the only one who even seemed interested in the place. But don't sell yourself short, kid. You did good today. Now get out so I can lock up and go get some dinner."

With thoughts of dinner, Severus headed out the door. He searched for a suitable place to eat and then he headed back to the flat he had rented. He was out of almost all of his money, but now with a steady source of income he could spend a little in the pub for a meal and some ale.

It was eight days later that the death of Nasius Thamis occurred. He had been sitting next to the window and Kitoku had been reading the newspaper aloud to him, skipping the un-pleasantries of people disappearing and being discovered dead. She avoided the news of fires and bombs, of bridges collapsing, and of the panic of the war in the wizarding world. Kitoku read the paper in a short time and moved on to a novel he had wanted to read. But by the time she opened the book to the first page, he had already passed. She did not notice because he had not been having labored breathing or wheezing. He may not have died a happy man, but he died as happy as he could have, with the summer breeze coming in through the window and his daughter's soft voice comforting him with news of the world. He had wanted to say that he loved her, but he hadn't had the strength.

Kitoku read on for a few minutes before she noticed her father's stillness. She got up to close the window and get him a blanket. Donovan looked up from his own reading. As she was placing the blanket around her father, she realized how pale ever so much more then he had been.

"Father?" she whispered, gently prodding him. "Father?" A bit louder this time. When Nasius didn't respond the second time Kitoku became anxious and her heart filled with panic. "FATHER!" she yelled out as she reached him, now noticing that his stillness was not of sleep but of death. She clung to him, weeping greatly, her grief exposed to the wizard across the lawn who was pruning his flowerbed. Donovan was unable to move, unable to comfort his sister and unable to cry, he sat frozen as the death of his father struck a low and nasty blow to his spirit. Grand-Père came into the room and when he found his son in the motionlessness of death, he too could no longer wear a smile. He would smile later in life, but for now he couldn't remember how to smile. How could he smile? His only son had just died and the utter devastation of his granddaughter caught his heart in squeezed it tight.

The Thamis house was in mourning. The family wore somber colors. Nasius' funeral was private, but no one else would have come anyway. They were a dying bloodline. Kitoku and Donovan was the Thamis' last hope. Kitoku stayed silent for weeks Donovan tried to get her to talk, but the children were not ready to face the world yet, neither could comfort the other beyond what comfort they found themselves. But she sent an owl, regarding her decision to attend Hogwarts, to Beauxbatons Academy. Then she sent an owl to Hogwarts requesting a supply list for fifth year students. When it arrived, she handed it to her Grand-Mère, who busied herself with getting the two of them ready to go to Diagon Alley, Donovan did not go with them, he instead took out a book and began to read.

Shopping was done in near silence, and whatever words were spoken came mostly from Grand-Mère. They were nearly done when Kitoku entered the apothecary by herself. She handed the older gentleman the list, who then passed it along to the young man whose sleeves were rolled up past his skinny elbows. The young man dashed in and out of aisles, gathering the items her list requested. The young man came back and Kioku looked at each one of the jars and bags. She came to the bag marked "Wormwood Stems" and noticed that the bag had been incorrectly labeled.

"Sir, these are dried Mandrake roots. I need Wormwood Stems." They were the first words she had spoken for six weeks--maybe more. "It's been mislabeled."

The young man scowled at the bag. He was sure he had been the one who had labeled these bags. The yellow parchment certainly carried his handwriting. He looked at the bag and sure enough there were no faint pink rings indicating the properties of Wormwood.

"I'm sorry, Miss, I'll get that taken care of right away."

But Severus memorized the face. He could tell that she was sad. Her voice was hoarse and top of that she carried an accent. He was sure this was a Hogwarts list of ingredients, yet he had never seen her before. Surely he would have noticed someone as intelligent and well-acquainted with Wormwood. Surely Professor Slughorn would have talked about her or she might have been in the Slug Club like he had been. Severus took down a bag of Wormwood and did a quick search to see if any others were mislabeled. He didn't see any and he came back to the front of the store. This time the girl was joined by a much older woman and he could not ask her any questions. So he rang up the order and the woman paid for it. Then together they left the store, just before they did, however, the girl turned her head and said thank you.


End file.
